The Writing Madness of Oz! Day 15...

One of my most important tools as a writer is my brain and the imagination that comes with it. I sat down last night to begin working on the next chapter of Whether the Sea Is Boiling Hot and Whether Pigs Have Wings and soon found myself at a critical point early in the story.

During the writing of Of Cabbages, Kings, and Even (Odd) Queens of Wonderland and Oz, I had made a conscious decision to explore the nature of conflict that often comes with the choice between doing what’s right and doing what’s necessary, especially when one’s life is at stake. That very conflict provided for a wide variety of responses and outcomes, most of which can be found all around us. So many of us make these choices, though few are as deadly as those in Of Cabbages, Kings, and Even (Odd) Queens of Wonderland and Oz.

Now, with Whether the Sea Is Boiling Hot and Whether Pigs Have Wings, I’m looking to extend my reach with the exploration of what I call the Triad Syndrome. I’m sure it has another name, but I refer to this Triad Syndrome as the relationship between 3 disparate concepts and how combining all 3 into 1 accomplishes a greater purpose, though not always for Good. Sometimes, Evil wins out, though in this story, that won’t happen.

Having introduced my main heroes and set them out to learn of their task, I find that I now have two separate sets of 3 concepts in the guise of our heroes. Now, I’m thinking about adding a third set of something (what I know not yet) that will make for a larger Triad and an even greater purpose, which in my writings, always means Good wins out over Evil. The question is how to do it… These things must be done delicately!

As odd as this may sound, one of my inspirations comes from a Star Trek: Next Generation episode in which a negotiator utilizes what he refers to as a ‘chorus’ of three who speak on his behalf. His conflict arises when his ‘chorus’ is destroyed and he must function without them.

           

There is also, of course, the concepts of the father, the son and the holy ghost found in the catholic religion.

            

 For my triad of heroes and the two other triad of others/things, I envision an epiphany of sorts which requires all 3 triads to work together for the common good and the overall defeat of Evil. Having never gone this far in my scope as a writer, I look forward to what my mind will bring about… and having a talented co-writer makes my work so much easier, especially since we seem to be thinking along very similar lines.

For all of today, tomorrow and probably into the weekend, I will focus on running dialog and settings through my mind and explore how I might make this happen.

Only when I have satisfied my concept into reality will I write it down and move forward. This is the most critical time in any story and for Whether the Sea Is Boiling Hot and Whether Pigs Have Wings, I feel this choice will either make or break the story.

Only time and Ozian inspiration will tell what I will write.